Dublin Alternative G8 Summit - An Invitation

This year's G8 promises to be different for a number of reasons. G8s and G8 protests have, by now, become something of a ritual. One where each side already knows the rules of the game. The great and good come together to discuss how they might set the world to right, and the protestors outside condemn them for not doing it quickly enough – or not really intending to do it at all. Charity is promised to Africa, and folks like Sir Bob Geldof will proclaim that a successful G8 has been had. Other folks will throw bricks and bottles at the police, and feel that they have stuck a blow for the cause. What cause exactly is not always clear. The media have a field day – a morning glimpse of presidents and prime ministers, and then spend the rest of the day with the unwashed outside; hoping that they will start a riot – or, at least, do something that looks good on camera and will fill thirty seconds on primetime news. And the general public have a little bit of entertainment to lighten the daily drudge of work, or more and more commonly, unemployment.
So why should the G8 Summit on the 17th and 18th of June 2013 be any different?

Well, the location is quite different this year. G8 Summits have generally been held in the countries of the great powers, the Great Eight. All of these powers reached their position of “greatness” through imperial conquest, and their populations, be they Left or Right, have the preoccupations of mature economies, which have enjoyed the benefits of huge transfers of wealth from the former colonies, and the continued transfers from the sweatshop economies of the Third World. G8 protestors tend to see the world’s problems in terms of ecological destruction, Austerity, or development aid for Africa. These are First World concerns.

In late 2012, the British government, who host the event this year, surprised everybody by announcing that the G8 Summit would be held in Ireland, more specifically, the six north eastern counties of Ireland, still under British occupation. Within a few weeks, the unusualness of this location became quite clear. Police intercepted a car bomb intended for the Lough Erne Golf Resort Hotel, i.e. the G8 Hotel. Shortly afterwards, primed mortar bombs were found near the Hotel, which sits on a piece of land, surrounded on three sides by one of Ireland’s largest lakes. To add to the bizarre atmosphere, the local police have been taking great pride in telling international media reporters about the hundreds of prison cells they have available for G8 protestors – and that, as an added precaution, they are going to re-open closed British Army bases for the occasion, to make sure they have even more prison space. The last four decades of armed resistance have given the British state in Ireland one great resource – plenty of prison cells.

Clearly, the G8 has been moved from Great Britain to Ireland to avoid a repeat of widespread summer riots in England in 2011. It’s a sign of the times that the British government now considers IRA bombs to be less of a threat than the class anger of English youth. But still, hosting the G8 Summit in Ireland brings a very different colour to the proceedings, or the ritual, as we have called it above – one that is not entirely predictable. Ireland is England’s first colony. It was in Ireland that the Anglo-Saxon first learned to think of himself as the master of men, the bringer of civilisation to the native. The genocidal methods used to exterminate the entire population of Tasmania, and to reduce so many native peoples to abjection, where first practiced and perfected in Ireland. The Elizabethan poet, Edmund Spenser, lamented that the English sword could never do the job that needed doing. Only famine would clear Irish land of the Irish. Centuries later, the US Army repeated this sentiment, when they wantonly shot dead thousands of bison, to starve the Native American into submission - and exile to reserved concentration camps. These are very different methods and ideals to those of ancient empires. Anglo-Saxon imperialism was never just about enslaving and extracting surplus value. It was, always, and at the same time, a religious crusade - a jihad to bring competition and the rule of the market to the lazy native. To make him a respecter and a saver of money – and a saver of sexual energy, wrenched from its natural course and put to the service of profit, as Freud so eloquently noted.

So, when the G8 circus comes to Ireland this June, ecology, austerity and charity for Africa will not take pride of place among all those who intend to give the G8ers a warm welcome. In Belfast, The Irish Anti-Imperialist Forum has been organised by Republican Sinn Féin, for the 14th and 15th of June. Speakers are expected from organisations across the Third World, from India to the Philippines, who are actively resisting Western imperialism. They themselves will tell what they want – and it certainly doesn’t seem to be the charity of those who pollute their rivers, steal their resources, and murder their patriots.

In Dublin, anti-imperialists were not slow to recognise the symbolism of hosting the G8 in occupied Ireland. The message was clear: This land is British land, won by the sword, and held by the sword. Resistance has been defeated, the process of normalization completed. Croppy was lying down, and nobody expected him to get up anytime soon. The Dublin Alternative G8 Committee was established to pick up that gauntlet, and work begun to make sure that the flag of anti-imperialism would fly proudly in Ireland’s capital city, and principal population centre. On the 17th of June, anti-imperialists will gather in Dublin, from across Ireland and from Africa, Iraq, Palestine, the Basque Country, the Philippines, Syria, the USA and from Canada. Not to make any claims of the G8, but to begin work on building a very real and effective network to take on the New Imperialism and the New Scramble for Africa. When we are strong enough, the G8 will have nothing to give us – as we will already have taken everything. On the 18th of June, a National Demonstration will assemble in Dublin to remember the 1913 Lockout, and to present to the Working Class of Dublin, 100 years later, it’s own strength, massed and present, for it’s own inspection.

Ireland is a small island, on the north eastern edge of Europe. World movements do not begin in Ireland, but rather wash over the waves to us. The Celts came from Central Europe, bringing their language and customs. Then Christianity came. Feudalism was brought by the Normans, and Capitalism by the English. While world movements do not begin in Ireland, Ireland has never stayed aloof from them. And so it was when the banner of Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, was raised by Robespierre and his fellow citizens. By 1798, Ireland had risen in arms, under the leadership of Theobald Wolfe Tone and with the help of French Revolutionary Forces. That rising was suppressed with a violence that surpassed that of La Terreur in Paris. One of the many mass graves from that year, filled with the bodies of Irish volunteer soldiers, who had faced the English cannon with only pikes in their hands, lies beside the River Liffey in Dublin City.

In 1867, Karl Marx published Das Kapital. In the same year, Irish Revolutionaries called on their fellow working men in England: “You workmen of England, it is not only your hearts we wish, but your arms. Remember the starvation and degradation brought to your firesides by the oppression of labour. Remember the past, look well to the future, and avenge yourselves by giving liberty to your children in the coming struggle for human liberty.” In 1867, those words were not idly spoken. They were sealed in patriot blood.

1913 was to Ireland what 1905 was to the Russians. By then, Ireland had one of the largest rural proletariats, as a percentage of population, in Europe. And it was a hugely politicised proletariat. In the cities, the workers lived in huge ghettos, often with three families to a room. In the summer of 1913, workers were locked out of their places of work because they refused to leave their trade unions. Blacklegs were brought in to take their places. Led by James Larkin and James Connolly, for eight long months the heroic workers held out against starvation, bitter cold, police beatings, and media vilification. Finally, broken by hunger, they returned to work. But the seed had been sown. Between 1916 and 1922, James Connolly was to suffer martyrdom before a British firing squad, for his leadership role in the 1916 Rising in Dublin, the rural proletarians were to take over hundreds of workplaces and declare them Soviets, with the Red Flag flying over them. “We make bread, not profit,” read the sign over the Bruree Soviet Mills, in County Limerick. Limerick City was taken by the people, and the Limerick Soviet declared – which even printed its own Soviet money.

The imperialists, however, would not be beaten. They have had a long schooling in the art of divide and conquer. The British made a dirty deal with the Irish comprador classes. They got their free states, north and south, to better keep Ireland for the interests of British capital. In the south, liquidating the numerous and dangerous rural proletariat became a key priority. They were exiled in their hundreds of thousands, by the weapons of hunger and exclusion, or sometimes, they were allowed to join the ranks of the small landowners, the keepers of Irish conservatism.

In the 1950s, the great Abdel Nasser fired the hearts of young patriots all over the colonized world – not least in Ireland. Before long, the IRA was back in action. The people were not ready, however, and Operation Harvest, as the IRA Army Council had named it, was ended with the dumping of arms in 1962. But, a strong and disciplined leadership, with a good grounding in Socialism and international solidarity was now in place. They did not have long to wait.

1969 was the year when one of the young men, who idolized Adel Nasser, stepped boldly onto to the world stage. That young man was Muammar al-Gaddafi. In the same year, the Irish people once more rose up against imperial domination and discrimination. Young Muammar would not stand idly by as Irish people were beaten off their own streets. He gave the people the means to defend themselves, and take the war to the belly of the beast.

That was then, and this is now. Muammar is dead and the hungry dogs of the New Scramble for Africa have marched across his disappeared body. The dream of African independence has burned in the White Phosphorus inferno that was Sirte, and the full Restoration of the Ancien Régime is almost complete. That extraordinary flourishing of the human spirit, from the French Revolution, to the October Revolution, to the great national liberation struggles of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s – a concrete slab has been slammed down on it. That period is to be regarded as a horrific aberration, buried now, and never to be repeated. These days, Restoration goes by the name of Revolution. Opposition is only acceptable from religious fanatics – who love private property.

Today, the Irish people float like dead fish on a filthy pool that has no prospect of moving. Years of Capitalist excess has hung the millstone of debt around the nation’s neck, and people are too frightened to even think of what might be done next. When the IMF and EU stepped in to relieve us of any pretense of economic sovereignty we ever might have had, many Irish people sighed in relief. Almost nobody protested. England’s old taunt, that the Irish are not capable of ruling themselves, is regularly heard on the lips of Irish media pundits – carelessly stated as obvious fact. The obvious, and horrific, fact that the EU has never shown any ability to lead anything either, is not mentioned.

No doubt, at this year’s G8 protests, some people will rail against Austerity, or maybe even ecological collapse. But, what is the point? Is that not like condemning rain for being wet? This is Capitalism. Its not meant to work for the little people of Europe or America, and much less for Africa. But, maybe, that concrete slab was not slammed down on our heads hard enough. Maybe, as the Dylan song goes, something is still blowing in the wind. In Belfast and Dublin we will find out. And if there is, I doubt that Ireland will be found wanting.

The Dublin Alternative G8 Committee invites all Anti-Imperialists to join us, this June. If you or your organisation wish to speak, or to help with the preparations for the Summit, then please contact us at:

RSS and atom feeds allow you to keep track of new comments on particular stories. You can input the URL's from these links into a rss reader and you will be informed whenever somebody posts a new comment. hide help

The information in the section just below formed part of the text of an e-mail received this morning (be me) from former investigative journalist, and former MEP for South East England, Ashley Mote.

Allowing for the fact that three member countries of the G8 (France, Germany, United Kingdom) are also members of the EU, I hope the information provided below might prove relevant, interesting, and useful for readers of this particular Indymedia (Ireland) article.

There is also mention in the first of the two related links at the end of this comment, of what I see as the crucially important -- and deadly dangerous (in my opinion) -- role of "unconstitutional legislation (and activities!!)", in a fourth member of the G8 Group: the Republic of the United States of America.

=== === ===

" JUST RELEASED on You Tube ...

THE EU MADHOUSE

Ashley Mote, author and former MEP, made a series of three presentations under the collective title The EU Madhouse at a convention in San Jose, California, in 2007.

He was introduced by Dr Stan Monteith, a veteran host of Radio Liberty based in Santa Cruz, California.

A chairde, we have a huge amount of work to do before the Dublin Alternative G8 begins on Monday the 17th of June. Posters to be put up, media work to be done, food to be organised, people to be picked up at the airport, logistics on the day and stewarding for the demo on the 18th - plus a whole lot of other things I cant think of now. So, if you are in Dublin, and you have some time to spare, please come along to our meeting tonight in the Pearse Centre, 27 Pearse Street, or contact us on dublinalternativeg8@gmail.com

We are considering featurising this thread. would that be ok or would somebody like to write something else new as a focus for info about G8 protests and gatherings?? Let us know ok? Meanwhile, I've pinned this article at the top of the newswire. It will remain there until after the G8 is over. Hope that helps.

I mentioned it to the Dublin alt G8 organizers last night who said that I was being provocative towards indymedia ! The only way to get things done around here ....lol . It would be good to have a feature that brought in demos planned for Fermanagh and Belfast as well the Dublin events, do you think?

We have a very full day of seminars and workshops for Monday the 17th, starting at 11am and going on till 9pm, when we will relax with some music and song.

The Politics of Friendship
Building Anti-Imperialist Networks in the 21st Century.

Cultural Imperialism and the Dictatorship of Advertising Speak
An Ghaeilge and Euskara as technologies of resistance in Ireland and the Basque Country.

Divide & Conquer: Sectarianism as a Weapon of Mass Destruction
In this seminar we focus on the suppression of progressive secular politics by the institutionalisation of sectarianism in Ireland and the Arab World.

ACAB - Your Rights when Dealing with the Police
Legal Observers Ireland lead an intense inter-active workshop for activists and other citizens. Various situations will be simulated, acted out and critiqued. Video of actual public-order situations will be analysed. Accurate knowledge is your best defence.

The 1913 Dublin Lockout – An Inspiration for Our Times
One of the greatest moments of the Human Spirit, the 1913 Lockout, when tens of thousands of ordinary men, women and children endured five months of hunger, freezing cold and police beatings, rather than bend their knee to the Dictatorship of Capital. Is that great Spirit of Resistance dead in Europe? Or can we too find the courage to act?

Imperialism as a Slave Economy
As with the Roman Empire, the Anglo-American Empire is highly dependant on slave labour. Until recently, the Empire had been able to keep slavery out of Western sight and in the sweatshops of the Global South. However, as the Empire collapses, slavery has come home – in the form of millions of private-prison slaves in the USA, and in the form of scams like JobBridge and Workfare in Europe.

Prisoners of Imperialism – We Salute You!
We hear from campaigns for Political Prisoners in Ireland, Palestine, the Basque Country, Turkey, the USA and other countries under imperialist domination. We will hear of the experiences of these heroic POWs, and of the challenges facing any group attempting to highlight prisoner issues against a background of consumerist indifference.

Migration – A World Exiled from Itself
Marx described the Workers of the Capitalist regime as “bird free,” i.e. as free as a bird – and with just as little material security. Once more, the safety valve of emigration is being employed by the Irish comprador class to suppress all effective resistance. All over the world, forced migration keeps Capitalist profits up, keeps whole populations wandering in the wilderness of low paid jobs, and keeps local workers feeling threatened and easily subdued. Can Workers themselves think beyond this vicious cycle? Are these massive migrations an inevitable symptom of the collapse of empire?

Love in a Time of Crisis
Che Guevara said that the true Revolutionary is guided by a great feeling of love. This fierce workshop with spiritual activist and award-winning filmmaker Velcrow Ripper (Occupy Love, Fierce Light, Scared Sacred) explores the power that is released when spirituality is combined with action.

Food Sovereignty and Nutrition
In the early 1990s, Cuba, like other Socialist countries, faced hunger on a catastrophic scale. What did it do? It dug up the lawns and planted vegetables. Thus began a story of urban agriculture and peasant resistance to GM seeds and corporate ranching that is starting to change the face of the Global South – and open eyes and minds in the imperialist heartlands.

Palestine – A Story of Resistance
Its six decades and five years since the Nakba – the Disaster. The disaster of the illegal founding of the Apartheid Israeli State, by British imperial forces – and their running dogs in the Zionist death squads. Not for a single instant, since the genocidal massacres and ethnic cleansing of 1948, have the Palestinian People failed to resist their torturers.

Cuba, Chavez, and the Latin American Revolution
It is no exaggeration to say that, today, Latin America is the hope of the world. Since the beginning of the Bolivarian Revolution, in the late 1990s, the great achievements of the Cuban Revolution have been taken up by the poor and excluded all over the continent - including those living under reactionary regimes, as in Colombia and Chile. They have defied the brutish threats of the USA, and taken onto themselves the authority and the power to create their world. We celebrate and salute these brave people, and hear of their stunning achievements in medicine, agriculture, industry, communications and – and just the joy of being alive and resisting.

The New Scramble for Africa – The Rough Beast Slouches towards its Rebirth
As in 1873, the Capitalist system has crashed, and only the wealth of Africa can save it. Following the Destruction of Libya, US Army Africa Command (AFRICOM) has moved in to take control of the militaries of weak states all over North and Central Africa. The French have used the cover of Islamism to stake its old claim on Western Africa. Congo remains the coveted Jewel in the Crown. Congo’s wealth alone could pay off the West’s debts many times over. And yet, its people are hungry. Six million Congolese people have been butchered in the last decade, mostly by gangs sponsored by Western mining companies. Leopold and his gang murdered thirteen million people. How many million did Cecil Rhodes and his Rothschild backers kill? There is nothing so profitable as African blood. By the 1890s, Capitalism was experiencing an unprecedented boom – which then led to World War One – when the gangs fell out among themselves. This beast must not find its rebirth. The imperialists must be stopped here – by any means necessary.

This is a written account from today about the use of political policing towards our comrades organising against the G8, in Dublin.
Is this a sign of what's to come?

"A few comrades and I went out today to hang a few posters around town for the Dublin Alternative G8. We had already sought permission from the council to do so, and permission was granted, but that didn't stop the police from abusing their power of authority. 3 times we were stopped by the cops.

On the first occasion, a cop in uniform proceeded to inquire into whom we were, and what we were doing, and kept asking us on more than one occasion, could he have one of the posters, to which we kept on replying, no. After about 15 minutes or so, we were let move on.

On the second occasion, we had only moved a few yards up the road when another two uniformed cops stopped us again, this time they were more antagonistic towards us, and proceeded to ask us for proof that we had indeed obtained permission from the council, and that we needed to prove to them, that we weren't littering. One cop then told us that he had a problem with the poster that it was, ‘controversial’ Another 3 cops then arrived on the scene.

We told the cops that we would go to a computer shop and get the permission slip printed off from the council. They seemed happy enough with that and said OK. That was grand, until we started to walk away when one of the disgruntled cops, without dictating any legislation, continued to ask for my comrade’s name, to which he replied, “Would you fuck off out of that, why?.”

5 cops then took it upon themselves to pin him to the ground in a headlock and then proceeded to kneel on his neck and head while he was down on the ground. They slammed him against the wall and put handcuffs on him, and continued to vindictively squeeze the handcuffs while they were on, causing him excruciating pain. He was bundled into the back of a patrol car and driven away in full view of horrified onlookers, who had approached us after the incident to express their disgust at the handling of our comrade by the cops.

An absolute joke! My comrade is now due to appear in court on 3 trumped up charges. They didn't even hang around to see if we would get the permission slip.

On the third occasion, we had not moved far from where we were when yet again, we were stopped by 2 cops in uniform. Luckily enough we had the permission slip printed off at this stage. One cop asked us for a look at the slip, while his colleague appeared from around the corner, and asked to see it again. He then went back around the corner to a police sergeant, and had a few words with him while examining the permission slip, then sent us on our way.

Looks like the gardai are getting hungry for arrests. It has been reported in the mainstream press that around half the riot squad available during the G8 will be on stand-by in Dublin next week. Guess they cannot wait for the overtime to kick-in, along with their boots.

Knowing that this was the gardai from Pearse Street (seeing where the posters were erected), who seem to specialise in political policing, makes it typical but unwelcome news. It is clear from the last couple of years, and from talking to others a lot longer, that the senior members of this station encourage such behaviour, regardless of the law.

It is my understanding, that it is one of the posters shown earlier in this thread, the one listing the speakers, that was being erected, with permission, when the incidents occured. Hardly 'controversial' stuff, the mere reference to G8 seems to be the trigger. How can anyone, regardless of their opinion of G8 or counter G8 events, or anything else that could be on a poster, condone this behaviour. The council make the point of high-lighting that they allow pretty much anything up, within guidelines (only stopping offensive \ vulgar contents), to uphold article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003 (which relates to freedom of expression) - they explicitly say that in reference to postering.

I look forward to seeing this in court.

I would encourage people in Dublin to keep an eye out for similar behaviour in the coming days and report it here or elsewhere so other citizens realise what is happening. Also, to watch out for gardai tearing down some posters, unfortunately they have previous form with regard to political material in the past. However, more people now have video/cameras to hand via mobile phones so I hope they are used if it's appropriate for the person to do so.

I have been keeping an eye on G8 runup activities in Dublin. Are the WSM and Seomra Sp. aligned groups still not getting involved at all? Disappointing, bit of a cop out.

Regarding scare tactics and smear campaigns, well - it hasnt been as bad as the run up to May 2004 I dont think (because the summit is not in Dublin) but I wouldnt be suprised if some rag's "security correspondent" comes up with info from a "source" to say that the Blanchardstown Centre is going to be attacked by republicans with nerve gas (or something equally ludicrous).

I bet you have! Ooh, won't admitting that in public be embarrassing on front of your anarchist friends as you previously mentioned??

"Are the WSM and Seomra Sp. aligned groups still not getting involved at all? Disappointing, bit of a cop out."

Well if they were we're not saying anything to an undercover cop on a fishing expedition like you!!

"Regarding scare tactics and smear campaigns, well - it hasnt been as bad as the run up to May 2004 I dont think (because the summit is not in Dublin) but I wouldnt be suprised if some rag's "security correspondent" comes up with info from a "source" to say that the Blanchardstown Centre is going to be attacked by republicans with nerve gas (or something equally ludicrous)."

Just the sort of clumsy daft comment an undercover cop fishing for info would come out with

In fact this is the case. The run up to the G8 is not as bad as it was for the EU Summit in Dublin in May 2004.

Back then there was a ludrious story in the press about nerve gas was going to be used. It was just so bonkers and plain scare tactics but it worked. There were other planted stories in the press to shape and distort public opinion and this Indymedia feature article covers it:

Yesterday, we continued to erect posters around Dublin's City Centre. And unlike the day before, the cops were nowhere to be seen! We got a good bit of work done with many of the general public showing a keen interest in the events ahead!

Things look to be shaping up!
From Dublin, Belfast, and Fermanagh, Ireland, in the next few day's, is going to be a hub of lively anti-imperialist debate and a hotbed of resistance.

Dublin Alternative G8 will be holding a series of events in the coming days, starting on Sunday 16th June 2013. Everyone is welcome to partake and be counted at these free happenings.

Firstly, before listing some of the upcoming occurrences, Dublin Alternative G8 wishes to say that it stands in solidarity with the English based StopG8 group and against the intimidatory tactics deployed today (Tuesday 12th June 2013) in London.

Solidarity extends to those holding events and resistance in Fermanagh, Belfast and elsewhere.
Locally, a citizen was arrested in Dublin yesterday (Monday 11th June 2013) for the simple act of putting up approved (by DCC) posters in the city centre. There was several instances of harassment regarding this, leading up to the arrest and subsequently to others postering after the arrest. We will not be intimidated. It will make us stonger.

Talks
What - Talks, Discussions & Workshops
When - Monday 17th June 2013, from 11am
Where - Teachers Club, Parnell Square, D1
Detail - A wide range of free talks and workshops from 11am and throughout the day, concluding at 9pm. More details at the end of the email.

Music
What - Post Discussion folk / acoustic Concert
When - Monday 17th June 2013, from 9 pm
Where - Teachers Club, Parnell Square, D1
Detail - To help wind down after a day of talks we have an international line-up of musicians playing from 9pm until late, at the Teachers Club, Parnell Sq, D1. Including - Txalaparta musicians from the Basque Country (traditional), Bernard Fitzpatrick (acoustic folk singer/songwriter), Jayro Gonzalez (Nicaraguan musician), Tommy Sands (Irish folk singer/songwriter), David Rovics (American indie singer/songwriter)

March
What - Protest march
When - Tuesday 18th June 2013, 1pm
Where - Starting point Wolfe Tone Statue, St. Stephens Green, D2, across from the Shelbourne Hotel.

Dublin Alternative G8 is made up of citizens based in and around Dublin. It is not run by a political party, trade union or other outside interest group. All participation is welcome on a non-hierarchical basis. It is a not-for-profit run event, any donations will be greatly appreciated to offset the organising costs.

Much gratitude is due to the participants, from the tours to the talks to the music, all of whom are giving of their time freely.

Outline of talks:

11.15am-12.00noon
The Politics of Friendship
Building Anti-Imperialist Networks in the 21st Century.

Peace for Whom?
A look at how revolutionary movements in Colombia and the Basque Country have sought to engage with the State, and the challenges they face.

12.00noon-1.00pm
The 1913 Dublin Lockout – An Inspiration for Our Times
Is the Spirit of Resistance dead in Europe? Or can we too find the courage to act?

Imperialism as a Slave Economy
Third World sweatshops, JobBridge and Workfare.

Cultural Imperialism and the Dictatorship of Advertising Speak
An Ghaeilge and Euskara as technologies of resistance in Ireland and the Basque Country.

2.00pm-3.45pm
ACAB - Your Rights when Dealing with the Police
Legal Observers Ireland lead an inter-active workshop for activists and other citizens.

Nutrition & Food Sovereignty
Urban agriculture and peasant resistance to GM seeds and corporate ranching that is starting to change the face of the Global South

Palestine – A Story of Resistance
Since 1948, the Palestinian people have never failed to resist their torturers.

3.45pm-5.30pm

Prisoners of Imperialism – We Salute You!
Political Prisoners in Ireland, Palestine, the Basque Country, Turkey and the USA.

I expect we'll see more Garda harassment against any type of anti-establishment activity as time goes by , there's a lot of fear and ignorance in some people against anything that challenges the status quo. There's an over zealous element within the org that is only to happy to practice their Krav Maga moves on your neck vertebrae. They seem to thrive on reactions and they use them as a trap , they'll start a line of questioning and it will just escalate and escalate until they get a reaction and then they move in with a completely out of proportion response , it's very limbic behaviour. I know from being at marches that the Garda have a serious hard on for the WSM people , I remember being at the old Anglo HQ and Brian Leeson from Eirigi was speaking when these huge Gardai appeared out of nowhere and they were giving specific instructions while pointing to a group of WSM members to 'Watch that crowd'. They formed a line behind the crowd and their presence was creating tension , it was like they wanted something to kick off.

"Are the WSM and Seomra Sp. aligned groups still not getting involved at all? Disappointing, bit of a cop out."

Well if they were we're not saying anything to an undercover cop on a fishing expedition like you!!

Your comments are moronic. Over the years there have been various protests organised - openly - by autonomous / anarchist / anti-cap groups. They publicised their actions by flyers, posters, and yes, on the internet. For example during the last EU presidency (1st six months of 2004) the Grassroots Gathering distributed thousands of leaflets around homes in the city centre areas and also published lots of info online, especially on IMC.ie - in fact the indymedia centre in Summerhill was practically an anarchist organising centre during the run up to Mayday that year. In other years groups have gone to Evian, Genoa, Gleneagles, even 'AmBush' in Shannon - and always publicised what they were doing and tried to get more people on board. The idea that they would be doing something clandestinely is ridiculous when their ethos is about mass participation. It is disappointing to see their non-involvement, and I am guessing it is to do with ideological differences of the organisers of the Dub-Alt-G8.

--

"Regarding scare tactics and smear campaigns, well - it hasnt been as bad as the run up to May 2004 I dont think (because the summit is not in Dublin) but I wouldnt be suprised if some rag's "security correspondent" comes up with info from a "source" to say that the Blanchardstown Centre is going to be attacked by republicans with nerve gas (or something equally ludicrous)."

Just the sort of clumsy daft comment an undercover cop fishing for info would come out with

As someone else pointed out, the press did come out with that kind of bullshit before the big EU summit in Farmleigh : nerve gas (accompanied by a pic of someone in a gas mask IIRC), attacking the Blanch centre, temporary prison camp set up in the Curragh to contain the 'thousands' of protestors coming over from England, scare stories about the Wombles, etc etc. One anarchist in Dublin had his house raided by the Garda who took away lots of material, another three English activists were arrested in a temporary squat on Baggot Street and had to remain in Ireland until their court case, living hand to mouth - they'd been informed on by Mark Kennedy / Stone, who had travelled over in a van to Ireland and got himself friendly with the summit organisers. Interesting times. Certainly more active than now, looking back on it.

You were probably too young to know or care "piggywiggy", you should read up on your history a bit before you blindly label everyone as an undercover cop.

Ok ex I apologise. It seems that you are genuine and the specific event you referred to I was not aware that it actually occurred. After kennedy stone and all the pigs posting on this site all the time on shell to sea threads, you can't be too careful. I'm just trying to help defend activists online here.

Your last comment about being embarrassed to mention the alternative G8 to your friends seemed rather suspicious, overly image conscious, and divisive. Thats what made me suspicious of you. I've never met an anarchist that cared much about what others thought of his/her actions before.

'It is disappointing to see their non-involvement, and I am guessing it is to do with ideological differences of the organisers of the Dub-Alt-G8'

Hey there ex. I think you might be right. It is really sad, but there you go, I understand when thinking about 'their' (anarchists?) capacity to organise/host, the time-frame in which to organise and other commitments. I'm pretty sure lots of the seomra 'crowd' and crew and the WSM members are building the Rossport Solidarity Camp at the moment and will probably be working in Mayo for the next few weeks.

There will be two groups setting off from Dublin Castle (Dame Street Entrance) at 2pm on Sunday June 16th. The tours last about 1.5 hours, and will visit historical and other sites of interest, and will be available in Spanish and English. Bring suitable walking shoes. To book a place on the tour, please e-mail dublinalternativeg8@gmail.com or phone 085 2310663. The tours are free of charge.

We will have a stall at the GPO giving out the above leaflet \ programme and other information, from 1pm until 4.30pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week. So, if you're in town, drop by and say hello.

Detail - To help wind down after a day of talks we have an international line-up of musicians playing from 9pm until late, at the Teachers Club, Parnell Sq, D1. Including - Txalaparta musicians from the Basque Country (traditional), Bernard Fitzpatrick (acoustic folk singer/songwriter), Jayro Gonzalez (Nicaraguan musician), Tommy Sands (Irish folk singer/songwriter), David Rovics (American indie singer/songwriter)

It would be good to see some reports about the WSM people who went to the UK from Ireland. Are they ok? Cops went on a rampage in London according to this report on UK indymedia:

"People present in the Beak Street building report that the police used tasers, chemical sprays, and dogs, and hit unarmed people with shields and fists as they held their hands in the air or covered their heads. We are currently gathering witness statements and will release soon a detailed account of the attacks and injuries. We know that at least two people received serious head injuries, and many more were beaten. We are still waiting on reports from at least 30 people who were arrested.

“I could hear tasers going non stop for at least a minute,” said one witness, “I never heard anything like it in my life.” "

The PSNI arrested a member of eirigi yesterday for putting up anti-G8 posters on the Falls Road. According to the eirigi website, posters were also seized from other members of the socialist republican party in the Glen Road :

“Pádraig Ó Meiscill was arrested beside the International Wall on the Falls Road in West Belfast this morning (Wednesday) and taken to Grosvenor Road barracks by the PSNI as he and another party member, John McCusker, were erecting posters opposing the G8 summit.”

Breandán Mac Cionnaith ,éirígí’s general secretary , condemned the arrest and warned that what has previously been accepted as normal political activity is now under threat in the Six Counties:

“All of our party members who were subject to this PSNI operation today were engaged in legitimate political activity. They were breaking no laws and they were not engaged in any form of disruptive or other activity. Despite these facts, they were clearly targeted in a coordinated manner by several heavily armed PSNI units.
“It is clear that the PSNI is acting under strict political orders to suppress any form of political opposition against the forthcoming G8 summit in Fermanagh and today’s incidents are a clear indication of the true nature of the intense security operation currently being deployed across the Six Counties.”
See :http://www.eirigi.org/latest/latest120613.html

The treatment of the eirigi activists is in marked contrast to the respectful attitude of the PSNI to the regular illegal Union Jack parades taking place across the six counties.

UTV reported yesterday on proceedings in the Belfast High court in which a man from the Short Strand is seeking legal review over the failure of police to stop demonstrators travelling along certain routes , which his legal team says breaches parading legislation. The police have allowed Union Jack waving protestors to stage illegal marches into Belfast city centre every week for up to three months, the High Court was told . Karen Quinlivan QC said DVD footage shows PSNI Landrovers at the front of the weekly marches, with more officers at the sides and rear. Ms Quinlivan told Mr Justice Treacy that police were "effectively escorting protestors to City Hall."

Legislation that grants government the right to shut down Ireland’s mobile phone networks completed its passage through the Oireachtas on Tuesday. According to the Journal today ,the Seanad also signed off on a Government request that President Michael D Higgins bypass the usual five-day waiting period before signing the Bill into law.
“Had the usual waiting period been observed, the legislation may not have been signed into law until Sunday at the earliest – by which time it may have been too late to frustrate any possible terrorist plans targeting the G8 summit in Co Fermanagh in Northern Ireland which begins on Monday.”http://www.thejournal.ie/g8-mobile-phone-shutdown-law-9...2013/

We got a great reception from the public, with many stopping to inquire into the events ahead, and express their support!
The stall will continue from 1pm until 4.30pm everyday to Saturday, why not drop by for a leaflet or to just say hello.

"One week ago at the ferry station in Liverpool going to Belfast we were interrogated for 45 minuites about our intentions on going to ireland. The police asked us if we were involved in protests, what causes we felt strogly about, where we were staying in belfast and if we were going to the G8 protests. The policeman was being very friendly the whole time, joking with us and pretending he was just curious. They searched our bags and then they cofiscated hard drives, usb sticks, camera, notebooks and maps under the Terroism Act 2000. There should not be an official record of political activity associated with us, with none of us having been convicted of a crime. They told us that we couldnt get our stuff back even if we didnt go to ireland."
see:

Tuesday should be interesting. Seems that Michelle Obama is staying directly opposite the start off point for our G8 March to the American Chamber of Commerce, i.e. the Wolfe Tone Monument in front of the Shelbourne Hotel. Hopefully, the police will be on their best behaviour, and not disgrace us in front of such a renowned guest.

Seems the Gardaí are very serious about keeping attendees to Dublin Alternative G8 safe. A historical waking tour, organised by Dublin Alternative G8, and beginning at Dublin Castle at 2pm today, is currently visiting historical sites in Dublin city. It is being followed by two van loads of police, two special branch cars and two motorbike cops. We can feel very safe now from any pickpockets that might try to target our walking tour.

The anti-G8 demonstration organised on Tuesday 18th in Dublin City Centre will proceed despite heavy security restrictions announced by Gardaí. The demonstration will assemble at the Wolfe Tone monument on St Stephen's Green at 1pm on Tuesday and will march to the American Chamber of Commerce in Wilton Place, Dublin 2.

Gardaí have announced parking restrictions on St Stephen's Green and road closures in the area. This follows sensationalist reports, fueled by the Gardaí, of possible disorder in Dublin. Gardaí from Pearse Street station have harassed those erecting anti-g8 posters during the week, arresting one activist, and threatened to rip down legally erected posters. Walking tours arranged today (Sunday) for activists visiting Dublin, have also been followed by excessive numbers of both uniformed Gardaí and members of the Special Branch.

A Dublin Alternative G8 spokesperson commented:

"We will not be bullied off the streets. We will have our Alternative Conference on Monday. On Tuesday we will march to the American Chamber of Commerce, the place from where the strings of this corrupt political regime are pulled. If they block one road, we will take another. We will not bring violence to the streets of Dublin, we call for peaceful protest and for people to stand up to the attempts by the Gardaí and the state who appear intent on confrontation and to crack down on any dissent in Dublin and elsewhere during the G8 summit."

"We ask for as many people returning from protests in Fermanagh and for those in Dublin to join us in opposition to the violent and genocidal agenda of the G8 and their allies and to defend the right to protest against an international and Irish regime that has no moral legitimacy. In this centenary year of the 1913 Lockout, we ask for all those who are disenfranchised, who are locked out of today's Ireland, to come onto the streets and to show the world their true power."

The demonstration on Tuesday is just one event organised by Dublin Alternative G8. Walking tours for visiting activists were arranged today (Sunday) and a Conference discussing various aspects of globalisation and imperialism takes place on Monday 17th June from 11am at the Teachers Club. All events are organised free of charge and all those interested in opposing the G8 are welcome.

The Garda escort stayed with us to the end of the tour. Sadly at that stage it was reduced to one van and 2 motorbike cops. The annoying thing was that a garda traffic control vehicle (they love that word) and its attendant gardai participated in the arrest. The motorbike cops are also part of the traffic control unit, at one stage we had 3 motorbikes and a pushbike following us, was there no traffic to be controlled?

A full "rich text" copy of the original of an e-mail sent this evening (Sunday, 16 June, 2013, 18:00) to The Republic of the United States of America President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, and to several other people using the same e-mail, can be viewed at the following Human Rights Ireland www location:http://www.humanrightsireland.com/PresidentBarackObama/...l.htm

The message-text of the above mentioned e-mail included the four excerpts in the section just below:

=== === ===

1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

2) I am fascinated -- for all the wrong reasons -- by the fact that "The British government" appears to be thinking and acting in a manner which suggests it knows nothing, and by implication CARES NOTHING (?), for Article 14 of the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights ...

3) I'm also fascinated -- again for all the wrong reasons -- by the fact that RTE appear to have no knowledge of Article 14 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or, if they do, that they are keeping entirely silent about it (for reasons best known to themselves).

4) A public comment from our (Republic of Ireland) Minister for Education (Ruairi Quinn TD) regarding the above-mentioned UN excerpts would seem like a good idea (to me) at this exceptionally tricky, difficult, and potentially extremely dangerous time in the life of Edward Snowden.

=== === ===

Some readers may be interested to know that the people this afternoon's "G8 Briefing Update" e-mail was copied to included The Republic of Ireland's Chief Police Commissioner Martin Callinan; and, that this particular inclusion was made partly because this evening's "G8 Briefing Update" to President and First Lady Obama -- as can be observed at the www location provided above -- also contained clear and substantial reference to the the potentially EXTREMELY important "Hackers E-mail" referred to at:http://www.indymedia.ie/article/103790#comment296264

It seems to me that Chief Police Commissioner Martin Callinan and his colleagues now have a duty to quickly find out if that particular e-mail is genuine or bogus (assuming they have not already done so), and to let the general public know the results of their investigation: ideally BEFORE (in my opinion) the formal G8 Summit Meeting begins in Enniskillen tomorrow, and certainly (it seems to me) before it ends (on Tuesday June 18th 2003).

Nice one william thanks. Now indymedia and it's contributors are probably on the NSA spying shitlist if they aren't already. It's not as if Obama gives a shit about any of these things. He knows them already. So there's absolutely no point sending him emails like this.

But he certainly hates whistleblowers etc. and websites that uncover what imperialists are up to.
So thanks again for drawing the spotlight here for nothing william. Great timing too, when the CIA and other lunatics are here in force.

If you want to put yourself under this kind of scrutiny from these loons that's your own business, but you have no right doing it to others without their prior approval.

If so many comments/reports are about police attention to G8 protestors and their street posters I conclude that activists are not getting their criticisms of G8 economic and political policies clearly across to the Irish public.

Wouldn't house-to-house leafleting in selected suburbs and towns a couple of weeks in advance of the G8 jamboree be a more effective means of communication? I will concede that the humorous posters showing Putin and Obama licking ice cream cones were photogenic and eyecatching. Congrats to the designers and the people who printed and published them. All power to imaginative communication.

In response, I would ask you to please consider the basic human rights principles embedded in Article 19 of the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights -- now in its 65th year -- which are set out in the section just below:

=== === ===

Article 19:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

On last Thursday I had a uniformed police Sergeant arrive and ask me what I was going t do for G8 (basically march with Amnesty) he then said that my writings on G8 are being monitored. Fair enough! I will sell out - the cost? Nice villa in Italy. Ciao!

The organising committee of the Dublin Alternative G8 would like to express huge thanks to all those who participated in the Dublin Alternative G8 events over the past few days. Many people gave freely of their time and helped create something special to mark the unwelcome presence of the G8 on Irish soil.

The quality of the seminars at the Alternative Conference on Monday was truly excellent, with discussions being held all day on a wide range of topics. Many groups and individuals spoke at the Conference and we deeply appreciate the time, effort and spirit of solidarity shown by all those involved. Particular thanks goes to those who travelled from abroad for the Conference, including journalist Dan Glazebrook from England who addressed the conference on the use of Sectarianism as a tool of Imperialism and on the New Scramble for Africa, and Canadian film director Velcrow Ripper who held a workshop "Love in a Time of Crisis" which drew a large crowd.

Special thanks also goes to the musicians who performed at the concert on Monday evening. Protest musician David Rovics from Portland, Oregon and folk legend Tommy Sands were joined by Basque musicians Kiki and Jesus Alcazar, Nicaraguan guitarist Jayro Gonzalez, bongo player Conor Gillen and also Irish singer song-writer Bernard Fitzpatrick. Thanks also goes to the Club na Múinteoirí for hosting the Conference and concert.

A demonstration was held on Tuesday despite garda restrictions in Dublin City Centre to facilitate Michelle Obama. We marched to the American Chamber of Commerce to protest against the economic interests who pull the strings of Irish politicians. Marchers then proceeded to Pearse Street Garda station to demand the release of an activist arrested while participating on a walking tour on Sunday. We can confirm that our comrade has now been released. One other activist however faces charges relating to the lawful erection of posters last week.

We also send a message of solidarity to those in Belfast, Fermanagh and London who were arrested or otherwise harrassed for organising protests there, and condemn the repressive measures which have been imposed on protesters and the huge disruption to the local people in various parts of occupied Ireland, all to facilitate those who bring so much misery to the world. Of course we also send solidarity to all those across the world who suffer as a result of the agenda of the G8 and live in hope that we can all come together to create an alternative to this corrupt global system of dominance.

Dublin Alternative G8 has shown that it is possible to organise successful opposition to the international capitalist and imperialist agenda outside of established political parties and groups. Those involved in organising the Alternative G8 events came together as individuals on an ad hoc basis. Whilst the G8 summit has now passed, we hope to come together in a similar way in the future on other issues, and hope to work with all those who helped make the Dublin Alternative G8 possible. In the coming weeks we will continue to fundraise to cover some of the outstanding costs of running the events, and to stand by our comrades who are facing the courts for exercising their right to peaceful protest. We will also work to put as much of the material from the Conference online along with pictures of the other events and protests organised.

All those interested in continuing this work or working with us in the future, you are more than welcome to join us. We can be contacted on dublinalternativeg8@gmail.com or at 085 2310663

I still have not got my villa! So long as it is not near Scappaticci. As has been said £60 million conservative estimate - Irish police action looks more like born of fear than of protecting Granny from Anarchists. WWGD (What Would Gramschi Do?) OK off for a quick novena luv C x

Thanks to indymedia for featuring the Alt G8 and allowing us the chance to publicize the stand we took against the recent visit to Ireland by these G8 thieves and war criminals . Best wishes to S2S for the upcoming Rosport weekend.

I'd certainly be prepared work with the Alt G8 organizers again , but it's very important in my opinion to discuss lessons learned from the campaign and not just say that things are now done and dusted and it's time to move on. There were considerable differences of outlooks among the organizers , but as Alt G8 wrote yesterday, we were able to work together on the immediate issue - may I add without burying genuinely held political disagreements . I take this as a healthy development for the left in Ireland.

I'm looking forward to the follow up meeting and hope that points like the one made by Roderick Random here on Monday can be raised there:"Wouldn't house-to-house leafleting in selected suburbs and towns a couple of weeks in advance of the G8 jamboree be a more effective means of communication".

Right Joe. On future outings demonstrators and organisers can try to get pointed information about the issues across to the (generally passive) public. Tussles far from the conference-talks-sybolical visits simply allow the newspapers and electronic media to 'report' on the tussles, harassment and arrests.

The reasons why people demonstrated against the events never get detailed or accurate reporting.

Sorry for the delay in response Roderick.. They are good points , I certainly agree that there should have been a leafleting campaign in the suburbs prior to the arrival of G8. I was speaking to some of the other organizers over the weekend , a report with photos is being prepared for here. Hopefully more suggestions ,comments positive and negative, critiques of the campaign etc will follow.

The Dublin Alternative G8 was held at the Teachers Club on Monday, June 17. The event was addressed by a speaker of Republican Sinn Féin and attended by a number of members and supporters of Republican Sinn Féin.

The day started at 11:30. Kaan Orhon of the Republican Sinn Féin International Relations Bureau read a statement of solidarity from the National Executive of Cumann na Saoirse Naísiúnta (US) to the Irish Anti-Imperialist Forum in Belfast and the Dublin Alternative G8. The chairperson then introduced the three speakers of the first session ‘Peace for whom?’: Diarmuit Breatnach of the Dublin Basque Irish Solidarity Committee, a speaker from Colombia and Dieter Blumenfeld, International PRO Republican Sinn Féin. Blumenfeld outlined the reasons why Republican Sinn Féin don’t support the 1998-Belfast Agreement, the reason why RSF sees the so-called Peace Process as a failure and outlined the essential political achievements of RSF in the past period.

In the afternoon Republican Sinn Féin’s Dieter Blumenfeld chaired the session on political prisoners. He gave a brief introduction on the case of Martin Corey and urged everyone in the audience to support the Dublin Release Martin Corey Campaign before introducing the speakers in this session. These were Gari Timmons for Ireland for Leonard Peltier, Diarmuit Breatnach of the Dublin Basque Irish Solidarity Committee, Bill O’Brien, National Treasurer of the Ireland-Cuba Support Group, who spoke about the case of the Cuban 5, and José Gutiérrez of the Latin American Solidarity Centre who outlined the plight of the political prisoners in Colombia.

The day came to a conclusion with a concert by various political songwriters and musicians such as Tommy Sands, David Rovics and Bernard Fitzpatrick.

On the following day members and activists of Republican Sinn Féin took part in a protest march from the Wolfe Tone Monument to the American Chamber of Commerce.